Method for vessel access closure

Abstract

Assemblies for closing vascular access ports, such as arteriotomies, which comprise a closure device deployment assembly comprising an elongate foot member having a relatively short distal portion which is bendably coupled to a relatively long proximal portion and an expandable closure device removably coupled to the distal portion of the foot member.

1 . An assembly for closing a hole in a blood vessel having a lumen therein comprising:
 (a) a closure device deployment assembly comprising:
 (i) an elongate foot member comprising a relatively short distal region which is bendably coupled to a relatively long proximal region, and 
 (ii) an expandable closure device removably coupled to said distal region of said foot member, 
   (b) said distal region of said foot member and said closure device being capable of being advanced out of the distal end of said closure device deployment assembly and into the lumen of a blood vessel with at least some of the proximal portion of said foot member remaining in said delivery sheath to reorient said closure device by causing said distal region of said foot member to bend with relation to said proximal region of said foot member whereby said closure device is more difficult to withdraw from said blood vessel, and   (c) said closure device being capable of being decoupled from said foot member whereby it expands.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bend in said foot member is at a predetermined bending axis. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein said foot member is pre-biased to bend when constraint is removed by advancing the distal region of said foot member out of a constraining structure. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein said constraining structure is said deployment sheath. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said delivery assembly comprises a deployment tension member and said distal region of said foot member is caused to bend by exerting tension on said deployment tension member. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said delivery assembly comprises an attachment tension member which is connected to said closure device and an elongate deployment member configured to exert compressive force on said closure device and said distal portion of said foot member is caused to bend by pushing on said elongate deployment device. 
     
     
         7 . An assembly for closing a hole in a blood vessel having a lumen comprising:
 (a) a delivery sheath having a distal portion and a proximal portion, the distal portion of a closure device deployment assembly being housed in said delivery sheath, said closure device deployment assembly comprising:
 (i) an elongate foot member comprising a relatively short distal region and a relatively long proximal region, said distal region being hingedly coupled to said proximal region, and 
 (ii) an expandable closure device removably coupled to said distal region of said foot member, 
   (b) said distal region of said foot member being capable of being advanced out of the distal end of said closure device deployment assembly to move said closure device into the lumen of a blood vessel with at least some of the proximal region of said foot member remaining in said delivery sheath to reorient said closure device such that it is at an angle with the proximal region of said foot member and more difficult to withdraw from said blood vessel by causing said distal region of said foot member to bend at the location where it is hingedly coupled to the proximal region of said foot member, and   (c) said closure device being capable of being decoupled from said foot member whereby it expands.   
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the closure device is coupled to said foot member with a removable tether. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein said closure device is coupled to said foot member with a removable tether. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein said removable tether constrains the expandable closure device from expanding prior to removal of the tether. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 9  wherein said removable tether constrains the expandable closure device from expanding prior to removal of the tether. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein the bend in said foot member is at a predetermined bending axis. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein said foot member is pre-biased to bend when constraint is removed by advancing the distal region of said foot member out of a constraining structure. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13  wherein said constraining structure is said deployment sheath. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein said delivery assembly comprises a deployment tension member and said distal region of said foot member is caused to bend by exerting tension on said deployment tension member. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 7  wherein said delivery assembly comprises an attachment tension member which is connected to said closure device and an elongate deployment member configured to exert compressive force on said closure device and said distal portion of said foot member is caused to bend by pushing on said elongate deployment device. 
     
     
         17 . An assembly for closing a hole in a blood vessel having a lumen therein comprising:
 (a) a delivery sheath having a proximal portion and a distal portion of a delivery sheath housing a closure device deployment assembly comprising:
 (i) an elongate foot member comprising a relatively short distal region which is bendably coupled to a relatively long proximal region, 
 (ii) an expandable closure device removably coupled to said distal region of said foot member, and 
 (iii) a deployment tension member comprising a tether which passes through said distal region of said foot member and is releasably coupled to said closure device, 
   (b) said distal region of said foot member and said closure device being capable of being advanced out of the distal end of said closure device deployment assembly into the lumen of a blood vessel with at least some of the proximal portion of said foot member remaining in said delivery sheath and causing said distal region of said foot member to bend with relation to said proximal region of said foot member by exerting tension on said deployment tension member to reorient said closure device whereby said closure device is more difficult to withdraw from said blood vessel, and   (c) said closure device being capable of being decoupled from said foot member whereby it expands.   
     
     
         18 . An assembly for closing a hole in a blood vessel having a lumen comprising:
 (a) a delivery sheath having a proximal portion and a distal portion and a closure device deployment assembly housed in said delivery sheath, said closure device deployment assembly comprising:
 (i) an elongate foot member comprising a relatively short distal region and a relatively long proximal region, said distal region being hingedly coupled to said proximal region, ( 
 ii) an expandable closure device removably coupled to said distal region of said foot member, and 
 (iii) a deployment tension member comprising a tether which passes through said distal region of said foot member and is releasably coupled to said closure device, 
   (b) said distal region of said foot member and said distal end of said closure device deployment assembly being capable of being advanced out of said delivery sheath to move said closure device into the lumen of a blood vessel with at least some of the proximal region of said foot member remaining in said delivery sheath and causing said distal region of said foot member to bend at the location where it is hingedly coupled to the proximal region of said foot member by exerting tension on said deployment tension member whereby said closure device is reoriented such that it is at an angle with said proximal region of said foot member and more difficult to withdraw from said blood vessel, and   (c) said closure device being capable of being decoupled from said foot member.